Big Ten women’s basketball power rankings: Iowa, Indiana, Penn State pick up big wins
Feast Week showed the true colors of some Big Ten women’s basketball teams this week. Among the top showings, Iowa finally figured out how to beat Kansas State, and Indiana bounced back with a win over No. 19 Tennessee.
Onto the rankings:
1. Iowa
Last week: 2
Facing the same team in nonconference play twice in the span of 10 days is wild, but it eventually worked out for the Hawkeyes. After three tries over the past two years, Iowa finally managed to take down Kansas State in the championship game of the Gulf Coast Showcase.
More: Iowa women's basketball survives another grueling affair versus Kansas State
2. Ohio State
Last week: 1
Ohio State didn’t have much excitement this week (hence the drop to No. 2). But the Buckeyes did buck the Cowgirls off their horses this week, as Ohio State took down Power Five foe Oklahoma State in The Bahamas.
3. Indiana
Last week: 4
It’s comeback season for the Hoosiers. After the humbling loss to Stanford, they picked up their first top-25 win over No. 19 Tennessee and Princeton in Fort Myers.
More: IU women pick up two key wins in Fort Myers after humbling loss to Stanford
4. Penn State
Last week: 9
Alright, so Penn State is definitely more legit than I thought. The Nittany Lions are 2-0 against NCAA tournament teams, including a win over Oklahoma State in The Bahamas and St. John’s, and took No. 6 USC to a one-point game. If anyone’s a dark-horse in the Big Ten, it’s the Nits.
5. Maryland
Last week: 3
Is this the end of an era for Maryland women’s basketball? The Terrapins dropped out of the top-25 for the first time in 13 years last week, and lost to Washington State this week. Brenda Freese always seems to have an answer for departing players, but I’m not too sure this year.
6. Michigan
Last week: 5
Michigan is one of those programs that is just skating through with wins over Middle Tennessee and Eastern Michigan, as well as a loss to No. 24 Ole Miss, this week. The Wolverines aren’t bad, but they aren’t groundbreakingly fantastic, either.
7. Nebraska
Last week: 6
Nebraska’s in-state rivalry to the westernmost Big East team (seriously, why is Creighton in the Big East) has come to new heights, with the Huskers losing to the Bluejays for the second straight year. Nebraska also tabbed a loss to TCU, but the Huskers had a consolation win in mid-major Lamar.
8. Illinois
Last week: 7
The Fighting Illini didn’t go on a Feast Week trip this year, instead electing to stay in cold, dreary Illinois after their loss to Notre Dame (who seems to be going on a tear through the Big Ten). Illinois did slightly redeem itself with a win over Canisius.
9. Minnesota
Last week: 11
UConn visited Minnesota for Paige Bueckers’ homecoming game in her senior season, and you know she wasn’t going to lose that one. Doesn’t mean Minnesota is bad, though — the Gophers beat Cal State Northridge by 50 in their next game.
10. Michigan State
Last week: 10
Sparty also couldn’t hold off the flurry of Bluejays this week, as Creighton took it to another Big Ten team.
11. Purdue
Last week: 8
Purdue, with its cast of newcomers, did not feast on Thanksgiving week with losses to Florida and Georgia in The Bahamas. A home matchup with Southern Indiana, though, seemed to right the ship.
More: Purdue women's basketball bounces back against Southern Indiana
12. Wisconsin
Last week: 12
Wisconsin didn’t do anything to bump up this week, but the Badgers at least took home a Power Five victory against Boston College in the nonconference slate.
13. Northwestern
Last week: 14
Northwestern flashed its directional prowess with a win over Southeast Missouri State this week, but that victory feeling did not last with two losses during Feast Week.
14. Rutgers
Last week: 13
Rutgers is, simply put, a sinking ship. Losing to Fairfield, a team from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (a league I barely knew existed), isn’t a good look. Pair that with losses to both Texas Tech and Boise State, and you’re calling for a mayday.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Big Ten women’s basketball power rankings: Iowa, Caitlin Clark back at top
